The bronze coin blazed with a fierce, unrelenting light.
Clek stood at the entrance to the heart chamber, the coin pressed against his palm, its heat seeping into his skin. The green glow from the massive pulsating mass filled the cavern, casting strange shadows across the walls. The heart was awake. It was aware. And it was calling to him.
He moved forward, his footsteps echoing in the silence. Seraphina—the younger, more powerful version of his mother—was at his side, her hand resting on his arm.
"Careful, Clek. The heart is more powerful than anything you've ever encountered. It can be overwhelming."
"I know." His voice was flat, hard. "But I have to understand it. I have to know what it wants."
The heart pulsed, a wave of energy washing over him. He felt it in his bones, in his bl
